A Ten Year Old's Perspective

My oldest son is ten years old. Early last week, he told me he really wanted to do something to make sure that John McCain was elected our next President. Apparently, they have been talking a lot about politics in one of his classes, and he has, unsurprisingly, been taking the Republican side of the discussion.

I asked him why he was supporting John McCain? His initial answer basically boiled down to two points. First, he doesn't think we should abandon the war in Iraq. As to the first point, Pulitzer winner Dexter Filkin has some interesting observations in a recent article for the New York Times:

Two years ago, when I last stayed in Baghdad, Karada Mariam was like the whole of the city: shuttered, shattered, broken and dead.

Abu Nawas Park — I didn’t recognize that, either. By the time I had left the country in August 2006, the two-mile stretch of riverside park was a grim, spooky, deserted place, a symbol for the dying city that Baghdad had become.

These days, the same park is filled with people: families with children, women in jeans, women walking alone. Even the nighttime, when Iraqis used to cower inside their homes, no longer scares them. I can hear their laughter wafting from the park. At sundown the other day, I had to weave my way through perhaps 2,000 people. It was an astonishing, beautiful scene — impossible, incomprehensible, only months ago.

Second, he thinks that if Senator Obama is elected, we'll have "free health care," but our taxes will go up. He doesn't think paying more in taxes is a good idea. On that second point, I should point out that in second grade he did have Junior Achievement that's when he learned that we all pay taxes to support government services, and how that's not a bad thing. I should also note that his younger brother, also seems to agree on that latter point. Last night at dinner, he announced that if Obama wins we'll pay more in taxes and gas prices will rise. According to him this is a bad thing because there will be less money for toys.

Now, before you think I'm brainwashing my kids, I should point out that they don't read this blog, and we really don't sit around the dinner table every night talking politics. However, they've been known to watch Discovery channel in the morning before school, and they are apparently being exposed to a lot of campaign commercials. To that end, I should also point out that they seem confused as to why the candidates are approving messages that spend the entire time talking about the other guy. But, I digress.

Well, I reached out to the John McCain camp and asked if there was any way that my ten year old could help out. They said, he'd be welcome to get on the phone and make survey calls, and that's exactly what he did. In fact, he went through a 125 telephone numbers before I told him, we really needed to get going.

Now, let me take a moment and be non-partisan. He was calling Albuquerque area Democrats and Independents to I.D. voters. I didn't make any calls, I just sat there and monitored -- prepared to jump in if it got nasty. It didn't, and for that I'd like the to thank anyone in Albuquerque who took the time this weekend to allow a 10 year old to get involved in the political process by answering a couple of simple survey questions. You made his day, and made his father very proud, not only of his son, but of the the people who make up this community.

I've got to run, but I want to share a final thought on the comments that have been reportedly made by Bernalillo County GOP Chairman Fernando C'deBaca. I should preface it by saying that I am hesitant to write anything about it because I challenged Mr. C'deBaca last year for the Chairmanship and lost. So, this is all I have to say.

I read (without attributing them) Mr. C'deBaca's comments to my son on the way to the McCain offices, and asked him for his opinion. His immediate response was "Dad, that's silly." After a moment more of reflection, he added, "And, by silly I mean ridiculous, not funny." It was the first of two times that I was to be proud of him that day.

A Heartbeat Away from the Presidency

Since Senator McCain picked Governor Palin to be his running mate, we've heard an awful lot of attacks coming from the Democrats and the mainstream media (Mr. Charles Gibson) about Sarah Palin being "only one heartbeat away from the presidency." Of course, this isn't the first time this strategy has been used by Democrats.



As I recall, that candidate ended up with only 10 of the 50 states in the Electoral College. You'd think they'd learn. If you enjoyed this trip down memory lane, you might want to go watch some more presidential commercials at the Museum of the Moving Image.

How Many Emails Accounts Do You Have?

I have about half a dozen email addresses. Some are business related. Some are personal. I try to keep them separate. I would venture to guess that a growing number, if not the vast majority of working Americans, have at least two email accounts. A work email account, and a personal email account - just like Governor Sarah Palin.

Unfortunately, someone has taken it upon themselves to hack into the Governor's personal email account, an account with personal family photos and private communications, and to post them online. The McCain camp has released the following statement:

"This is a shocking invasion of the Governor's privacy and a violation of law. The matter has been turned over to the appropriate authorities and we hope that anyone in possession of these emails will destroy them. We will have no further comment."

Personally, I think this stunt is going to backfire on the perpetrators. The problem the Democrats are having with Sarah Palin from a political strategy standpoint is that she is someone with whom the vast majority of Americans can relate.

This is only going to further cement the bond that Sarah Palin is developing with the American people. I would venture to guess that the vast majority of Americans cherish their privacy and would be appalled if someone hacked their personal email and put the contents out there for all to see. This invasion of privacy on the heels of the attack against Sarah Palin because her 17 year old daughter is pregnant is without a doubt a new low. And, I'm willing to bet that it will hurt Democrats in the polls come November.

Joe Biden's First Choice

It looks like Senator Joe Biden, the Democratic candidate for Vice President, had a first choice as a running mate, and it wasn't his colleague Senator Barack Obama (if you're crunched for time skip ahead to 2:36 into the clip):



That's right, given half a chance, Senator Joe Biden would have run on the presidential ticket with none other than the Republican candidate for President, Senator John McCain. Heck, he went so far as to urge McCain to run on a John Kerry ticket in 2004. Kind of makes you wonder how all of the Democrats can claim that electing John McCain as President is the same as a Bush third term.

Palin Confirms Her Status as the Perfect Pick

I was on the road last night, so I didn't get to watch Sarah Palin's speech at GOP Convention. However, I just watched it this morning, and all I can say is that there is no more perfect candidate for Vice President of the United States.



There were several times during her speech where Governor Palin seemed to be speaking straight to New Mexicans:

A writer observed: "We grow good people in our small towns, with honesty, sincerity, and dignity." I know just the kind of people that writer had in mind when he praised Harry Truman.

I grew up with those people.

They are the ones who do some of the hardest work in America ... who grow our food, run our factories, and fight our wars.

They love their country, in good times and bad, and they're always proud of America. I had the privilege of living most of my life in a small town.

Before Governor Palin was selected, I had a conversation with a producer from a PBS show, and I told him that one of Senator Obama's biggest challenges in winning New Mexico would be the urban versus rural divide. As an urbanite, who time and time again shows he is out of touch with rural values, Senator Obama has some serious challenges in appealing to the two thirds of the state population that lives in rural New Mexican towns. It was this population that turned out and delivered New Mexico for President Bush in 2004.

Every time the Obama camp and the mainstream media question Governor Palin's readiness because she comes from a small town in a sparsely populated state, they strengthen the resolve of proud rural New Mexicans to once again have their voices heard in the White House.

Ethics reform is another hot topic in New Mexico. Over the last several years we have been plagued by scandal after scandal with no end in sight. Politicians like Governor Richardson talk a good game publicly, while privately continuing their lucrative practice of pay-to-play politics. Governor Richardson, a beltway insider and key player in the Obama campaign, came to office and immediately purchased a jet to complement his lavish lifestyle. When his driver races his back to the Governor's mansion, he has a staff of personal chefs waiting to pamper his every need.

Compare Governor Richardson's approach to leadership to that of Governor Palin:

I came to office promising major ethics reform, to end the culture of self-dealing. And today, that ethics reform is the law.

While I was at it, I got rid of a few things in the governor's office that I didn't believe our citizens should have to pay for.

That luxury jet was over the top. I put it on eBay.

I also drive myself to work.

And I thought we could muddle through without the governor's personal chef - although I've got to admit that sometimes my kids sure miss her. I came to office promising to control spending - by request if possible and by veto if necessary.

The Governor with five kids at home doesn't need jets, drivers and personal chefs, but the Governor in a two-person household does? Where's the logic in that? Supposedly, the Democrats are the party of the masses, but you tell me which Governor lives more like you and me?

Of course, I realize that Governor Richardson is not running for President. So, let's bring it back to a Presidential ticket comparison. McCain/Palin versus Obama/Biden. When it comes to proven leadership at the top of the ticket, McCain/Palin win hands down. When it comes to a track record of change and bucking the political establishment, McCain/Palin win hands down. When it comes to dealing with energy or experience in world affairs, McCain/Palin win hands down.

On every measurement and in every category McCain/Palin is the more impressive ticket. And every time, someone tries to make the case that Governor Palin is not ready to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency, we'll think of this:

When I ran for city council, I didn't need focus groups and voter profiles because I knew those voters, and knew their families, too.

Before I became governor of the great state of Alaska, I was mayor of my hometown.

And since our opponents in this presidential election seem to look down on that experience, let me explain to them what the job involves.

I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a "community organizer," except that you have actual responsibilities.

Governor Palin's proven track record of meeting family and community responsiblities combined with Senator McCain's proud history of fighting for this country means much more than Senator Obama's and Senator Biden's "experience" of winning elections.

THRILLED About Sarah Palin

I can't tell you how excited I am about Senator McCain choosing Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to be his Vice-President. In August of last year, I had linked to a post that made a great case for selecting Sarah Palin to run as Vice-President:

However, the very best female candidate we have -- and this won't suprise anyone -- is Sarah Heath Palin, the governor of Alaska. With an approval rating in the 90s, she's the most popular state official in the nation. She's a mother of four attractive children, a wife who's a model of commitment to her spouse, and a pillar of honesty in a state with more than its share of political corruption.

She's extremely knowledgable about several critical issues, including energy, the environment, and education. There's no doubt she'll be as passionate about observing the U.S. constitution as she is about following Alaska's state document. She advocates the form of Christianity that emphasizes doing rather than talking. She's a lifetime supporter of Second Amendment rights.

As her electability and approval ratings show, she knows how to communicate with voters. She has just enough of a populist streak that she's not afraid to take on the big corporations (Exxon-Mobil, BP, and Conoco-Phillips) that, in the past, have generally had their way in Alaska.

Later that same week, I was on Eye on New Mexico, and because of the additional research I had done, I brought up what a great V.P. choice Sarah Palin would make. I've got video on my TIVO of that episode. Maybe this weekend, I'll pull it off and post it here.

Obama's Silence is Deafening

A leader takes a stand. When he sees a problem, he calls it as he sees it. It may not win him more friends. It may not be the smartest political move, but it is the measure of a good leader. And, in the end, the leader who is willing to take a stand based on principle earns respect.

John McCain has shown leadership time and time again throughout his career and he has shown it on the campaign trail:

This was evident in the conversation that was revisited and then revisited again and again regarding Senator McCain's request to the North Carolina GOP to not run an Obama attack ad based on Obama's longstanding relationship with controversial minister Jeremiah Wright.

Compare McCain's willingness to speak up to Barack Obama's silence in the face of the anti-Semitic attacks being launched against another member of Congress:

Yet, for all [of Barack Obama's] moralizing on the subject [of race], why is it that Obama is staying silent as members of his own party -- not to mention his own race -- in Tennessee use racial slurs to attack another member of his own party? And why is it that the national media has ignored this story? Perhaps its because the candidate being attacked, Tennessee Congressman Steve Cohen, is not black but is Jewish? And perhaps its because his attackers are members of Tennessee's black religious community? And perhaps it is because the Congressional Black Caucus is funding Cohen's Democratic opponent, Nikki Tinker? And perhaps it is because Tinker is benefiting from this anti-Semitic attack against Cohen?

Obama may be a great orator. His campaign may have brilliantly marketed him as the catalyst for change. However, when given the opportunity to lead and speak up against politics of hate, Obama has already failed miserably. Change can only occur by electing a strong leader. Barack Obama is clearly demonstrting that he is not that leader.

UPDATE: It took a little while, but Senator Obama finally responded to the outrage.

The Oil Policy Difference

Just a couple of months ago, it was widely predicted that prices at the pump would hit five dollars by Labor Day. Now, it seems that we might actually see a drop in prices at the pump between now and the election in November.

However, don't be fooled. If we see temporary relief, it will be just that - temporary. Relief designed to give the impression that we don't need to increase domestic oil exploration. If the Democrats expand their control of the legislative branch and take control of the executive branch, we will see gas prices north of five dollars a gallon for a very simple reason (subscription):

Sen. John McCain, the presumed Republican presidential nominee, supports lifting a drilling ban along the Outer Continental Shelf and encouraging more offshore drilling and natural gas production in the Gulf of Mexico. Sen. Barack Obama, the all-but-certain Democratic nominee, has opposed lifting the current offshore drilling bans.

"There is no way for at least a generation that we can get by without more and more oil," Domenici said. "If we could just use our own, we could save American dollars from flowing out of America."

Meanwhile, President Bush on Wednesday renewed his request that Congress lift its moratorium on coastal oil and gas drilling.

"The American people are rightly frustrated by the failure of the Democratic leaders in Congress to enact commonsense solutions," Bush said. "All the Democratic leaders have to do is to allow a vote. They should not leave Washington without doing so."

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, relented on the offshore drilling issue earlier this week, offering Republicans a chance to offer four amendments to the speculation bill, including one that would bring the drilling proposal to a Senate vote.

Look again at the bolded sections from Michael Coleman's article. Even a goof like "Give 'em Hell Harry" recognizes the fact that domestic drilling deserves to be on the table. Yet, the Democrats presumptive nominee for President, Senator Barack Obama, remains stubbornly opposed to any common sense solution to ultimately returning market control of gas prices to Americans.

Instead, Senator Obama is perfectly happy to leave us hostage to the dictates of a cartel:

OPEC has rejected US pleas for raising production and the president of the cartel says he expects oil to stay at current price levels through the end of this year. That stands against a market where oil demand has gone up 1.5 million barrels a day for the last ten years.

Now who gets hurt the most when Democrats in the U.S. government insist on blocking domestic oil production? The working poor and middle class families is who:

If gasoline prices move from their current average price of $3.20 to $5, the cost of fuel for a family that spends $50 a week for gas would move up over $1,000 a year. That would wipe out any tax rebate payments from the Federal government and drive the economy deeper into its currently slowdown. It would also further fracture already delicate P&Ls and balance sheet at large auto makers and airlines. Retailers would get less traffic. Very few industries would be spared some effect.

"... wipe out any tax rebate payments from the Federal government and drive the economy deeper into its currently slowdown." That's also an important fact to keep in mind for Governor Richardson's upcoming taxpayers funded Special Session.

We're an oil producing state, yet the Governor is doing everything in his power to discourage oil production. He did it when he passed unnecessary pit rules, and he'll do it again in the upcoming regular session by trying to bring the cap and trade scam to New Mexico.

Of course, in characteristic Richardson fashion, he is hoping to dupe New Mexicans into believing that by giving us a rebate, he is alleviating our pain. However, the plain and simple truth is that, like all other Richardson fiscal decisions to date, he is making it more expensive for most New Mexicans to live.

The Child Walks Among Us

What can I say? I thought this was pretty funny.

Obama Can't Afford Military Mistakes

Throughout the Democratic Primary Senator Hillary Clinton has questioned Senator Barack Obama's readiness to assume the role of Commander in Chief. Now, two recent occurrences indicate just how unschooled Senator Obama is in the military arena.

First, there was this Clintonesque type "oops" during his Memorial Day visit to Las Cruces:

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is taking fire from Republicans after erroneously saying during his town-hall meeting with veterans in Las Cruces that his uncle was among the American soldiers who liberated Auschwitz during World War II.

Auschwitz was liberated by the Russians, not the Americans.

Then just a few days later, Obama's spokesman, Bill Burton had this to say:

"John McCain's proposal [to visit Iraq] is nothing more than a political stunt, and we don't need any more 'Mission Accomplished' banners or walks through Baghdad markets to know that Iraq's leaders have not made the political progress that was the stated purpose of the surge. The American people don't want any more false promises of progress, they deserve a real debate about a war that has overstretched our military, and cost us thousands of lives and hundreds of billions of dollars without making us safer."

Say what????

Senator Obama is promising to pull the troops out of Iraq. Don't you think as a potential future Commander in Chief, he ought to be willing to spend some post-surge time on the ground with our generals in Iraq? Or maybe Senator Obama is afraid he might learn something while visiting. Something like:

According to the Military Times poll, more than 60% of active-duty servicemen believe the US is either "somewhat" or "very" likely to succeed in Iraq. But less than 20% of them think "the Iraqi military will be ready to replace large numbers of American troops" in 2 years or less. That suggests that a sizable number of the troops on the ground think that a precipitous withdrawal from Iraq would amount to snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Imagine if a soldier, marine, or guardsman were to express that opinion to Obama's face, in public, on the ground in Iraq.

Yeah, we couldn't have that happen, could we?

Afraid to Talk to Bad Guys?

You know the world is upside down when Governor Bill Richardson starts questioning the "toughness" of an American war hero:

“John McCain – like George Bush – is afraid to talk to bad guys,”

You've got to be kidding me, right? Well, they say a picture is worth a thousand words. The web is full of pictures taken during and immediately following the five years Senator John McCain spent as a "guest" of the North Vietnamese in the infamous Hanoi Hotel.

Then, there are the pictures of Governor Bill Richardson with the North Vietnamese. You tell me who you think is tougher.

New Mexico Superdelegates Ignoring Majority

It's interesting to observe as one New Mexico Democratic superdelegate after another comes out in support for Senator Barack Obama (subscriotion). What is interesting about it is that the majority of New Mexicans voting in the record turnout state caucus voted for Senator Hillary Clinton.

New Mexico Democratic Party Chairman Brian Colón on Saturday threw his support behind Barack Obama's presidential bid - the 4th New Mexico superdelegate to endorse the U.S. Senator from Illinois.

"He really does represent what the youth in this country want to see in terms of the direction of this country," said the 38-year-old Colon, one of the youngest state party chairs in the nation.

Colon's decision capped months of heavy lobbying by backers of both Obama and his opponent, Hillary Clinton: Colon told the Journal he's received hundreds of phone calls and "thousands" of e-mails since New Mexico's Feb. 5 Democratic presidential caucus on Feb. 5, which Clinton won by a sliver.

Hmm, I believe that "sliver" is called a majority. I wonder what message this sends to that majority?

Second Soros Funded Organization Appears

Two George Soros funded organizations land in New Mexico in the same month. Coincidence? Uh, I don't think so. Now, before you think I've gone all black helicopter on you, let just look at the facts.

We're a battleground state. We're a battleground in the Presidential race, and we're a battleground for at least two Congressional seats and one Senate seat. There is a lot at stake here. And, if you're a businessman, on either side of the aisle, there is no better state in which to make a political investment. The odds are in your favor. So, I don't blame George Soros for choosing the Land of Enchantment for his playground.

I just don't think much of his tactics.

Obama is supposedly the candidate of "change." Clinton is well a Clinton. The two are quickly becoming caricatures of what most people despise about politics, outright lies and empty promises.



This all reeks of politics as usual. And, George Soros is adding the icing to the cake by launching, albeit through a proxy, an attack ad on a candidate in a fight that hasn't actually begun. Then to top it all off, the organization to which he has given millions, launches the attack based on the same set of lies and purposeful misrepresentation that the Democratic National Committee has been trying to seed with the American public.

But, hey don't take my word for it. Watch the latest video to be launched by MoveOn.org:



Now read the truth from a truly non-partisan source:

The clear implication is that if McCain is elected, we can expect to be battling in Iraq for many decades to come. But the admakers cut off the rest of McCain's response, which provides some badly needed context:

McCain, town hall meeting, Jan. 3: Maybe a hundred. ... We’ve been in Japan for 60 years. We’ve been in South Korea for 50 years or so. That would be fine with me, as long as Americans, as long as Americans are not being injured or harmed or wounded or killed. It’s fine with me and I hope it would be fine with you if we maintain a presence in a very volatile part of the world.

The DNC ad doesn't mention that McCain was speaking specifically about a peacetime presence. And the text of the ad paired with images of Iraq under siege leave a clear impression that McCain proposes to allow a century more of war, with U.S. involvement. That's not what he said, in New Hampshire or in other settings when he's been asked about it.

Pretty convenient to leave out the context, isn't it? It's also pretty sad. If they want to attack Senator McCain, they should do so on the facts. Instead, Soros & Co. show a disturbing commitment to purposely misleading the public.

Which, conveniently brings us full circle back to beginning of this post. I don't have a problem with George Soros trying to influence the outcome of New Mexico politics - that's just the way the game is played. I do have a problem with his tactics - lies and distortions.

After my last Soros post, I received a couple of nice notes from New Mexico Independent's paid contributors. As a result of those communications, I feel I should set the record straight. I don't judge any of those folks for taking a stipend. I don't have a problem with the left leaning tendencies of the majority of the contributors. I don't even have any problem with most of their views, despite the fact that they are contrary to my own. I believe we are all contributing to a discussion.

However, to pretend this site just accidentally in a non-partisan way happened to bring several left-leaning bloggers under one banner is not exactly being truthful. As to those who have commented that I'm listed on the blogroll... Yes, I've been aware of that from the get go. I'm also listed on the blogrolls of Democracy for New Mexico and State Senator Dede Feldman's blog. Are you going to tell me those are also non-partisan sites?

There is nothing wrong with being partisan. A partisan system is what makes our government work. It's all part of checks and balances. It is the failure to disclose that is the problem here.

Do you think it is just an oversight that MoveOn.org's latest ad is not analyzed on this "independent" site for what it is. Now, in all fairness, after my last Soros post I did receive an offer to submit articles to New Mexico Independent for consideration (as proof that they're a truly unbiased site).

So, I'll be happy to submit this one for publication. Please just let me know where to pick up my $1,500 stipend.

A Talk with John McCain

I had a chance to jump on a blogger only conference call for about thirty minutes this morning with Senator John McCain. The McCain camp has been great about reaching out to bloggers regularly and inviting us to call in and ask questions.

What most impressed me was Senator McCain's closing comments in which he expressed appreciation for the work bloggers are doing in promoting political discourse - whether in agreement or not. The frank conversation that occurred on the call made it clear that anything could be discussed. Sure, we were all bloggers from the right, but believe me, just because we're all on the same team does not mean that we all agree - especially when it comes to strategy, tactics and message.

This was evident in the conversation that was revisited and then revisited again and again regarding Senator McCain's request to the North Carolina GOP to not run an Obama attack ad based on Obama's longstanding relationship with controversial minister Jeremiah Wright.



It was clear that several bloggers on the call thought that the North Carolina GOP should run the ad.



However, Senator McCain did not waiver in his beliefs, instead he remained steadfastly respectful that it should not run as it distracted from the issues which really deserved focus. He also acknowledged that it was a request on his part, but that the North Carolina Republican Party was free to do what they wanted.

One of the issues Senator McCain felt was more deserving of attention was the empty promises made by the Democrats in 2006. For example this from an email I received the other day:

On the two-year anniversary of Speaker Pelosi’s pledge that “Democrats have a commonsense plan to bring down skyrocketing gas prices,” gas prices have set another new record, with regular unleaded clocking in at $3.556/gal., according to AAA. The average price of gas has gone up $1.25 – more than 50 percent – since the beginning of the 110th Congress.

The warming weather always means an opportunity for families to spend sometime together usually on a road trip. Unfortunately, the prices at the pump may put that time honored family tradition out of reach for many Americans. Senator McCain has proposed a rather simple solution, a tax holiday from Memorial Day to Labor Day. However, Senator Obama, once again proving he is out of touch with regular Americans, is opposing this tax holiday.



This is not something that benefits the rich, since they are more likely to fly to their vacation destination. Instead, this is a direct affront to the working American families. Those who are going to feel the crunch at the pump the most. It looks like Senator Obama is committed to giving working Americans in small towns across the country a reason to be bitter.

Why It Makes a Difference Who Becomes President

A recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court is a harsh reminder of exactly what is at stake when electing the next President of the United States.

The Supreme Court ruled Wednesday in a New Mexico case that convictions for drunken driving do not count as violent felonies for enhancing prison sentences.

The justices, by a 6-3 vote, said even though great harm can result from drunken driving, it is different from other crimes that involve purposeful action. Justice Stephen Breyer wrote the majority opinion.

"Great harm can result from drunken driving?" There's an understatement. Death occurs from drunken driving, and the more times someone drives drunk the more likely death is to occur. Exactly, how many times did Larry Begay drive drunk? Well, we know by examining the Supreme Court decision (pdf) that...

At the time of this incident, petitioner was a convicted felon. He had 12 prior convictions in New Mexico for driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI). While DUI is generally a misdemeanor under New Mexico law, the offense of DUI after at least three prior DUI convictions isa felony requiring a sentence of 18 months’ imprisonment. N. M. Stat. Ann. §66–8–102(G) (Supp. 2007).

And, according to Judge Alito's dissenting opinion the Supreme Court decision also had the following statistics available to them at the time of the decision:

Statistics dramatically show that driving under theinfluence of alcohol is very dangerous. Each year, approximately 15,000 fatal alcohol-related crashes occur, accounting for roughly 40% of all fatal crashes. Approximately a quarter million people are injured annually in alcohol-related crashes. The number of people who are killed each year by drunk drivers is far greater than the number of murders committed during any of the crimes specifically set out in the statutory provision at issue here,§924(e)(2)(B)(ii)—burglary, arson, extortion, and offenses involving the use of explosives.

Petitioner’s qualifying offenses, moreover, fell within the statute only because he had been convicted of DUI on at least three prior occasions. As noted, petitioner had a dozen prior DUI convictions. Persons who repeatedly drive drunk present a greatly enhanced danger that they and others will be injured as a result. In addition, it has been estimated that the ratio of DUI incidents to DUI arrests is between 250 to 1 and 2,000 to 1.6 Accordingly,the risk presented by a 10th, 11th, and 12th DUI conviction may be viewed as the risk created by literally thousands of drunk-driving events. That risk was surely “serious,” and therefore petitioner’s offenses fell squarely within the language of the statute.

This repeat drunk driver was a violent crime waiting to happen. Actually, considering what brought him to court in the first place, it was only by a sheer stroke of luck that Larry Begay did not commit a violent crime:

In September 2004, after a night of heavy drinking,petitioner pointed a rifle at his aunt and threatened to shoot if she did not give him money. When she replied that she did not have any money, petitioner repeatedly pulled the trigger, but the rifle was unloaded and did not fire. Petitioner then threatened his sister in a similar fashion.

So, when you think about it who to elect as President, remember, they get to select the judges to fill open Supreme Court slots.

Who Says I Don't Have a Sense of Humor?

I know you probably don't have 9 minutes to watch a clip. And, yes, some of you might find some of this offensive. But, don't click away just yet. You HAVE to stick around for the Hillary stuff. It's a riot.

(Hat tip: NewMexiKen).

Question for Congressman Tom Udall

The Man is Uncle Sam

I'm a small business owner. Actually, I own two. A friend of mine told me once that he wanted to start a business because he "didn't want to spend his entire life working for the man." Like many, he wanted to be his own boss. Control his own destiny. Reap the rewards he sowed instead of creating wealth for someone else's gain.

There is only one problem with all this...

When you are your own boss, you suddenly become painfully aware of just how much of the wealth you are creating is going to the government in the form of taxes. On average, I work 12 to 16 hour days and have from day one of officially becoming an entrepreneur. Yet, thanks to our government's commitment to tax and spend, more than a third of my time is spent working to pay for bigger and bigger government.

People have been conditioned to think of taxes as simply the government collecting a portion of the money you earn. We are taught that money is the root of all evil. So, parting with it for the greater good must be a good thing.

But, that conditioning is wrong. The government is not taxing our money. The government is taxing our time. Whereas, money is of little true value. Time is priceless. Everyone has only a finite amount of time.

If I work 12 hour days, five days a week, and pay thirty percent in taxes, then one full month of my life each and every year is spent working for the government. That's one month that I don't get to use to strengthen my family, improve my community or better the world. Every year the government takes one month of my life. Every year, they take one month of yours.

Is the world better off because of it? I don't think so.

Both of the Democratic nominees for President believe that the answer to all of America's problems lies in bigger government. Senator Barack Obama has been packaged as the nominee of "change." But, I would argue that nothing will change if Senator Obama is elected President - at least nothing for the better. Instead, of working one month a year for the government, we can all expect to add another week or more of additional time stolen from our lives to pay for his programs.

Both of the Democratic candidates believe that more government programs and more regulations are the answer to solving every social and economic hurdle that arises. By comparison, Senator John McCain believes, and is promoting, a pro-growth agenda that is focused on small businesses and entrepreneurs, less taxation and more free trade.

Take a listen to what RNC Victory Chairman Carly Fiorina had to say about Senator McCain's economic agenda:



As long as government continues to grow, we are all working for the man... and The Man is Uncle Sam.

McCain Supports Tax Free Internet

One of the interesting topics that I had a chance to discuss with RNC Victory Chairman Carly Fiorina was Senator John McCain's longstanding support of a tax free Internet environment. I'm not talking about just temporarily extending the ban on taxing the Internet. We're talking about Senator McCain supporting a permanent moratorium on taxing the Internet.

Take a listen to what Ms. Fiorina had to say:



An article by Grover Norquist posted on Real Clear Politics last year makes it painfully clear why this important:

So why is an extension not enough? The specter of possible Internet taxation further down the road presents a disincentive to the same businesses and entrepreneurs that have brought the Internet this far to continue innovating.

Another temporary hold on taxing the Internet is like letting the mob walk through the town telling people "Don't worry, I'm not going to rob you today. But I'll be watching you and we'll reassess the situation next week." Chances are the threat of taxation in the future will put a damper on the willingness of businesses and entrepreneurs to invest in new technologies.

Do we really want policies that dampen the willingness of businesses and entrepreneurs to invest in new technologies? Considering all of the effort that goes into building and recruiting new technology businesses in New Mexico, the answer is undoubtedly a resounding, "NO."

The Truth About Presidential Tempers

A lot has been made by the left about Senator John McCain's passion on the issues. Granted, they usually call it McCain's temper. Yet, the Clinton Democrats sure don't seem to take offense when former President Clinton goes ballistic at the very mention of Governor Bill Richardson (subscription):

"Five times to my face (Richardson) said that he would never do that," a San Francisco Chronicle column had the "red-faced, finger-pointing" former president saying during a private meeting last weekend with superdelegates in California.

The column by Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross, relying on reports from those in attendance, immediately went national. It raced across political blogs— including at least one in England— the New York Post carried a "Bill Clinton Unleashes Tirade ... " headline on its online version of the story.

Now, here's the dilemma...

We here in New Mexico have suffered time and time again Governor Bill Richardson saying one thing and doing another. We've listened to him as he looked us straight in the eye while running for re-election as Governor and tell us that he was not going to run for President.

We've had to endure press conference after press conference where he has claimed to have successfully improved public education. Only to learn that each year's failure surpasses that of the previous year.

We've swallowed the bitter pill of a guy who claims to cut taxes while increasing fees and nearly doubling the size of government. And, increasing those fees on those who can least afford to have them imposed.

Heck, we've even had to listen to the Governor state that the super delegate vote should follow popular vote and then turn around and promises his vote to advance his own self interests.



Keeping all of this in mind, it is not that hard to believe former President Bill Clinton's claim that Governor Bill Richardson looked him straight in the eye and five times told him that he would never endorse Senator Obama. There is only one problem. The man making the claim is President Clinton. A man who has done his fair share of looking us in the eye saying one thing when the truth has been something quite different. A man whose wife also has proven that there is nothing she will not lie about if it will further her own career.

So, at the end of day, it basically boils down to this. The worse that can actually be said about Governor Bill Richardson is that he is a Clinton Democrat.

Memories Caught on Tape

Governor Won't Make it to Super Tuesday

Ok, everyone in the world knows about the "upsets" in New Hampshire. However, the one upset that didn't happen was Governor Bill Richardson. He didn't perform any better than expected. He was in fourth again, but with only five points. A performance that bad puts him much closer to all those who got 0% in New Hampshire than to third place Edwards. Yet, he has pledged to stay in through next Saturday's caucus in Nevada (subscription):

Gov. Bill Richardson vowed to stay in the Democratic presidential race Tuesday night despite finishing far behind the leaders in the New Hampshire primary.

His second fourth-place finish this month, coming five days after taking 2 percent of the delegate count in Iowa, raised questions about how much farther down the campaign trail he'll go.

"This race is going on and on and on," the New Mexico governor told about 150 supporters at a Manchester conference center after the New Hampshire polls closed. "As we head out West the fight goes on!"

The Governor would be wise to drop out before Nevada, or else he risks looking foolish. Right now, he can say he gave it the old college try. Hanging on any longer just starts looking desperate.

Bill Richardson "Created 85,000 New Taxes"

Governor Richardson has done it again. The Daily Show could have an entire segment on Richardon's campaign trail gaffes. When the dust settles tonight in New Hampshire, Richardson's presidential run will officially be over - even if Richardson continues through Super Tuesday.

But, it looks like he is going out in classic Richardson style. I just got this note from a reader:

This morning, about 6:30 am, I was listening to Don Imus on KTBL interviewing Bill Richardson from New Hampshire. The Gov launched into a litany about why being a Gov makes him the best choice to be President. Richardson said “ as Governor, I have created 85,000 new taxes…” when he meant to say “jobs”. Still, I could not help but realize what a Freudian slip that was. I laughed the rest of the way into my office.

Then again, maybe he was thinking about the "85,000 in new fees" that are going to be required to cover the state government spendfest that has been running rampant under the Richardson administration..

There's Fourth and Then There's Fourth

I started to write this on Friday, but I was running late for an appointment, so I didn't get to finish. I've been asked a few times over the weekend, what I thought of the Iowa Caucus results.

On the Republican front, I think it's still anyone's game. There just won't be a clear front runner until Super Tuesday. But, watch for the long knives to come out between now and then. As to the Democrats, it's Obama, Edwards or Hillary - in that order.

There is no amount of spin that can help Governor Bill Richardson save face from the whooping he took last week in Iowa. Sure, the campaign is sticking to its "we finished fourth" line. But, there is fourth, and then there is fourth. When 27 points lays between you and the third place candidate, you're done, finished, kaput.

Yet, is Richardson calling it quits? Not yet. Mind you, he's got a job to do here with the pending legislative session, but he's just not willing to throw in the towel. Why? Well, he likes the national limelight too much. New Mexicans know (or at least they should be now) that Bill Richardson is in the game for Bill Richardson. And, based on the reports of Richardson throwing his Iowa votes to Obama, the Clintons now know it too.

Richardson is a deal maker of the first order. So, what kind of deal do you think he struck with Obama? You don't think he would shun the Clintons without some sort of backup plan, do you?

Richardson for U.S. Senate

I get the question everyday. "So, do you think Bill Richardson is going to run for the U.S. Senate seat."

My answer? "No, I just don't see it happening."

Of course, anything is possible, but it just wouldn't make a whole lot of sense. I can't be the only one struggling to see Governor Richardson in the Junior Senator role. Think about it, can you imagine Bill Richardson comfortably taking a backseat to Senator Bingaman in public forums? Me neither. Senator Bingaman has always played second fiddle to Senator Domenici, but Bingaman is not a flamboyant character like Richardson. Governor Richardson does not know how to wait patiently in the wings:

Richardson in Philly: I didn’t actually see this while viewing Tuesday’s televised debate from Philadelphia on MSNBC, but the Associated Press reported that after not being called on for the first 20 minutes of the debate “... Gov. Bill Richardson threw up his hands in protest that he hadn’t been called on either and exchanged a frustrated glance with (Dennis) Kucinich.”

If the Governor found his Philly experience frustrating, its not hard to picture how disheartening he is going to find his years as a freshman Senator. And, as a former member of Congress, he knows just how ignored and far from center stage he is going to be.

No, I just don't see Richardson signing up for that. I think he'll hold out for that Secretary of State appointment. Does that mean he'll be coming back to the Land of Enchantment in February? No, I think he'll quickly jump on the bandwagon of the leader, probably Hillary Clinton, and campaign all over the country for the Hispanic vote. Campaigning is something he does well.

Then, if he doesn't get a cabinet appointment, I think he'll take a job in the private sector as the CEO of a Fortune 250 company. After all, as was recently pointed out to me, that's one arena that remains unconquered.

Drivers Licenses, College Education and Relationships

You HAVE to read Steve Terrell's post today. Let me give you a little taste:

But then [Bill] Richardson [Governor of New Mexico and Presidential Candidate] went on: “I’m for gays having relationships with undocumented workers, and I’ve always felt that way.”

I guess Governor Richardson feels that providing illegal immigrants with New Mexico driver's licenses and a free college education just doesn't go far enough. You can listen

Sitting on Both Sides of The Fence

The Governor Bill Richardson we all know and love (subscription) is back:

Gov. Bill Richardson says on the presidential campaign trail that he wants to close a loophole that allows some gun buyers to walk out of gun shows without a criminal background check.

That's a 180-degree turnaround from his position as a candidate for re-election to the governor's office.

You've got to love a politician who can consistently talk out of both sides of his mouth - time and time again.

What's That Up In The Air?

It's a bird... It's a plane... It's Insurgent Candidate.


Governor Bill Richardson is not having a good press week. At a campaign stop in Iowa, Richardson made this "joke":

Mr. Richardson gave a speech and held a question-and-answer session with about 150 people at the United Steelworkers Local 105 hall in Bettendorf as part of his tour through Iowa this week.

"If you want to be part of an insurgency, I'm it!" Mr. Richardson told the crowd, getting some laughs.

This was an odd choice of words for the Democratic candidate who supports immediate withdrawal from Iraq - an action that the insurgents in Iraq would applaud. And, one Iowan blogger points out that they might also appreciate the Governor's efforts to redefined the word insurgent to mean underdog:

Mr. Richardson said later that being an insurgent candidate meant being the underdog, he said in a phone interview with The Dispatch/The Rock Island Argus/The Leader. "I don't want to be an underdog much longer."

Unfortunately for Governor Richardson, as long as his campaign is setting expectations that they fail to meet, he is going to continue to be the underdog candidate:

But prior to the debate, Richardson and his campaign tried to turn the tide of bad news in advance of the inevitable post-debate spin by letting go of a rumor that Richardson would, could or should out-fundraise fellow Democrat John Edwards for this quarter.

The Washington Post reported that “…New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who is barely registering in most polls, has told other Democrats that he expects to raise more money than Edwards this quarter.”

This was an odd move to make because if he erred, it would set the scene for another public relations failure.

So when it turned out that Edwards (whoopsy) beat Richardson by $2 million, the spin-intended rumor hit the ground with a thud.

That “we-failed-to-meet-expectations” thud.

As if all of these PR gaffes weren't enough, when the Governor was called to the carpet for use of a gay slur in Spanish on the Don Imus show a year ago, Richardson had this response:

“In the Spanish I grew up speaking, the term means simply ‘gay,’ not positive or negative. It has been brought to my attention that the word also has a hurtful or derogatory connotation, which was never my intent. If I offended anybody, I’m sorry.”

Of course, there is one BIG problem with this response:

Gay News Watch reported that every official definition of the Spanish word has a negative connotation, and means a lot more than “not positive or negative.”

Definitely, not a good week for this "superhero".

Let's Nominate Him Again

When you think Nobel Prize, you think BIG ideas (subscription):

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said Wednesday that America should use diplomacy and sanctions instead of threats to convince Iran to give up its nuclear ambitions.

Cause that has always worked so well in dealing with fanatics.

The Democratic presidential candidate, speaking at the Center for National Policy in Washington, said the Bush administration has treated Iran with "suspicion and hostile, incendiary rhetoric" that has encouraged Iran to speed up its nuclear weapons quest.

Oh yeah, now we're the cause of Iran seeking nuclear weapons. Has Bill Richardson even paid any attention to the Middle East situation over the last thirty years? Ah, never mind, let's just nominate him for another Nobel Prize and call it a day.

The Bill Richardson Loophole

The facts as I understand them...

We're in a War in Iraq. We have politicians campaigning to become President. The election will take place in 2008. The Democrats are campaigning to pull out of the war. Governor Bill Richardson wants to separate himself from the Democratic pack (subscription):

The New Mexico Democrat said he is the only candidate committed, at least so far, to extricating every soldier from Iraq upon taking office.

Sens. Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Chris Dodd and Joe Biden, as well as former Sen. John Edwards, have either voted for or voiced support for a plan that contains "loopholes" to keep U.S. troops in Iraq "indefinitely," Richardson argued.

"As president, I'd have the clearest position," Richardson said during a speech here to the Campaign for America's Future, a liberal activist group.

"I would withdraw all of our forces without any residual troops by the end of this calendar year," Richardson said.

The facts continued... If Governor Richardson were to be elected President, he wouldn't officially take office until January 2009. His campaign promise is withdraw all troops by the end of 2007.

Nice. A campaign promise that can't be kept, so it can't be broken. Classic Bill Richardson all the way. Quick, someone nominate this guy for a Nobel Prize.

Didn't Work in New Mexico, So Let's Take it National

Anyone who has been reading this blog for any length of time knows that the Governor Richardson's rail project is over budget and under performing. So, I find it interesting that our Governor Richardson would propose to duplicate this fiasco on a national scale (subscription):

With gas prices rising and roadways jammed, Richardson said it was time to rethink a federal transportation policy that pumps billions of dollars into new roads each year. Mass transit, he said, will be the best, cleanest way to move metropolitan residents in the future.

If elected, he said he would "make it a major effort to refocus transportation construction of roads into light rail and more energy efficient transportation," the New Mexico governor told reporters at a news conference Monday.

"I would make light rail at least an equal partner" with highways, he said. With more rail and clean-running buses, "it's going to improve the quality of life in this country."

Richardson provided few specifics about funding, but said the construction would be financed with bonds backed by the state and federal government.

Nothing like failure to breed a plan for the future. I'm wondering as the Governor is criss-crossing cities in search of hands to shake and babies to kiss, how many times has he done it via light rail and clean running buses? Bill Richardson spends a lot of time in Denver, and I know Denver has light rail. Yet, I just don't remember reading that was how Governor Richardson was choosing to travel around the Mile High City. Good thing for him that billions
of dollars are being pumped into new roads every year.

Governor Richardson's Blatant PR Move

Maybe I'm missing something, but a U.S. Presidential Debate in Spanish (subscription)?

Democratic presidential hopeful Bill Richardson has agreed to participate in a candidate debate in September that's to be conducted in Spanish.

Univision Communications Inc., the nation's largest Spanish-language broadcaster, has invited candidates to a debate planned Sept. 9 at the University of Miami.

"Latinos are the fastest-growing segment of our population and this is a unique chance for all of the candidates to hear and address the concerns and priorities of this important constituency,'' Richardson said in a statement on Wednesday.

Richardson, who is fluent in Spanish, is the nation's only Hispanic governor. He was born in California, but spent his early childhood in Mexico City.

Exactly, who is Richardson supposed to debate in Spanish? Folks this is absurd. Now mind you, Spanish is my father's native language, so I'm not one of these people who think there is something wrong with people speaking more than one language in the U.S.; however, a Spanish language Presidential debate in the U.S. is absurd. It makes as much sense as Rep. Tom Tancredo's posturing last night in the Republican debate that we should close the borders to all immigrants, legal or not.

Hooked on Politics

Even the politically addicted have their limits, and I've found mine. Watching debates between ten candidates from beginning to end is just... well, tedious. You know that when the moderator announces that everyone has 60 seconds to answer questions, you're in for two hours of pointless banter.

Granted, some of the candidates look better than others making their points, but did anyone really say anything of substance? I don't think so.

Sound bites and more sound bites. There has got to be a better way to do this.

Democratic Debate in Manchester

Steve Terrell has blogged the Manchester debate between the Democratic candidates for President, and here is the money line as far as I'm concerned:

8:47 PM EDT: Richardson brags that he's balanced five state budgets. This drives New Mexico reporters nuts! He has to balance the budget according to the state constitution. There's no option.

Yup, that about sums it up in a nutshell. Bill Richardson's biggest accomplishments as Governor of the State of New Mexico has been to do the things he is constitutionally mandated to do.

Governor Richardson is Spinning Tales

Every politician seems to tell them. Stories involving an intimate moment with a constituent that motivated them to take action. And, apparently Governor Bill Richardson is no exception:

On the campaign trail, presidential hopeful Bill Richardson tells a moving story about a New Mexico Marine killed in Iraq and his mom. But is it true?

Three years ago, Richardson attended a memorial service for Lance Cpl. Aaron Austin, 21, who died in April 2004. As he campaigns for the Democratic nomination, the New Mexico governor often recounts an emotional conversation with Austin's mother, saying she thanked him for the federal death benefits she had received and even showed him the government check.

Of course, in Richardson's case, there is one slight hiccup:

But that's not what bothers the Marine's mother, De'on Miller, of Lovington, N.M., who says the conversation about money never took place.

"I didn't exchange words at all with the governor there except when he gave me the flag. And those few words - whatever was exchanged when he handed me the flag and the Spirit of New Mexico award - certainly had nothing to do with money," she said Thursday in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.

Now who are we supposed to believe here - the Governor of the State of New Mexico and Democratic candidate for President, or the Marine's mom? Based on Bill Richardson's story telling history, smart money backs the mom.

An Interesting Observation

Ok, I'm going to let you in on a little secret. One of the ways I keep track on certain politicos in New Mexico is through Google Alerts. I have a gmail account associated with this blog, and the news alerts all are fed into that gmail account.

Now, here comes the interesting part... the Republican candidates for President, who seem to be putting significant resources into search engine marketing, are John McCain and Newt Gingrich. Their sponsored ads are the ones that show up next to almost every post that has to do with politics - McCain's more than Gingrich's.

As an advertising professional, I can tell you this is a smart move on the part of the McCain camp. I'm not sure why the other candidates, or at least those with money, are not doing the same. My guess is that they are buying keywords, if not they're INCREDIBLY foolish, but they are not buying them broad enough.

My advertising company actually provides Search Engine Optimization (SEO), both of the organic and paid varieties, for several clients, and I have to tell you, these other campaigns are missing the boat in a big way. It is one of the least expensive ways to reach those in your target demographic. When it comes to politics, I'm a case in point.

Interesting Straw Poll

I've told candidate after candidate that they should consider blogging. This is especially true if they are the financial underdog. Usually, my advice falls on deaf ears. Governor Richardson is not one of those candidates whom I've advised. However, he has fully embraced the blogosphere, and it will be interesting to see what impact, if any, that has in the Democratic Primary.

As near as I can tell, Governor Richardson's name ID is not where he needs it to be on an a national scale, but this straw poll (hat tip reader KJF) would seem to indicate that he is either:

1. doing very well with political junkies.

OR

2. already has an active base in the blogging world.

My guess is that it is a little of both. I'll be tracking the poll in the coming months, and will probably add the widget to my site when it becomes available.